Often people are surprised that we started a farm. After all, we did not come from a farming family or community and are, for all intents and purposes, quite “city people.” So why start a farm?

 

It comes down to our core beliefs.

 

1) Invest in the United States of America’s economy. Familiar media headlines often boast promises of increasing manufacturing in the U.S.A. What better way to start producing something than our food. Local production of food, and all goods, is key to the economy's stability across the nation. Ten states produce over 50% of all the U.S.A.’s foods. The pandemic has shown us that we need to be able to support ourselves on a local level.

 

2) Let’s change the world. I mean our food. Or maybe both? Studies consistently show that common American foods (many of which are banned in European or other countries but are always approved for consumption by the USDA), and even our water, are littered with increased levels of harmful chemicals and have less nutrition when compared to heritage-type foods. So what do we do? We focus on species of foods that thrive in our local environment, are a sustainable solutions to food production (create more food with less input), and have a negative carbon impact. As an additional bonus, since these species are better suited for the environment they are produced in, they require less chemical treatment and have extra nutrition and health benefits. Plus, it’s fun not to eat the same few assorted foods you always see at the big box food stores.

 

3) We love what we do. Being outside, soaking up the sun, getting exercise, spending time with people we care about, and working with animals and plants - creating life and watching progress happen right before our eyes! What more could you ask for?? So, we hope to improve the lives of the people around us by feeding our money back into the local economy and keeping our dollars here instead of sending it to the ten big farming states, by supplying people with more nutritious and healthy foods, and having a positive impact on global warming/the environment. For us, this is a win-win-win.

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And livestock needs protection, so we chose the Armenian Gampr. They were bred to care for/protect sheep traversing the caucus mountains starting as early as 7,000 years ago. Caring for their family is literally in their DNA, so they bond very strongly with their humans. They were bred for their personalities and skills and less so for their uniformity in looks. They are genetically diverse dogs. That makes a good lot of them genetically, very healthy - like Abe and Maya! These dogs almost went extinct. Abe and Maya are part of the conservation program for this heritage breed. The more time I spend with them, the more I realize why these dogs need to be preserved. They are really just great dogs.

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